MEXICO CITY

The Guatemalan government announced on Monday that it will begin accepting unaccompanied minors currently residing in the US, in an effort to prevent their placement in detention centers and to facilitate their reunification with relatives in Guatemala.

In a statement, authorities said that from now on the government will take responsibility for the return of teenagers and children to Guatemalan territory.

“With the aim of preventing a vulnerable group of adolescents in shelters – many of whom are approaching legal adulthood – from being transferred to US detention centers, the Government of Guatemala is reinforcing coordinated actions to support their family reunification in Guatemala, once they have completed due process in the United States,” the statement read.

According to the Guatemalan government, this decision follows the visit of US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in June, when the two countries signed a bilateral security agreement.

Data from the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) shows that in the first half of 2025, 18,350 Guatemalan nationals arrived in Guatemala City, the nation’s capital. This marks a 48% decrease compared to the 35,235 Guatemalan citizens repatriated on 295 flights during the same period in 2024.

Beyond the notable decrease in returns, WOLA has reported a dramatic shift in the demographics of deported Guatemalans. The majority of those being returned now consist of individuals who had spent many years in the US rather than recent border crossers, as was the case in previous years.

The new policy involves multiple government agencies, including the Foreign Ministry, the Office of the Attorney General, the Guatemalan Institute of Migration, and the Secretariat of Social Welfare.

“The Government of Guatemala has promoted these actions within the framework of full respect for human rights and adherence to due process. It also assumes full responsibility for the comprehensive protection and welfare of this vulnerable group,” the statement added.